Tag Archives: playlists

I tried to tackle, in some form or fashion, each of this week’s prompts from the Get Messy Art Journal program (it’s never too late to join!) while limiting the supplies I used– a couple pens, some watercolors, a few stamps and some old magazines.

After last week’s go at a new sketchbook, it’s clear the pages weren’t holding up to all that paint and water. I decided to use up the last few pages in my original sketchbook… and then light a candle or sprinkle some crystals or maybe just search Amazon for an hour in search of a thick bound book of watercolor paper that can lay flat– preferably one that doesn’t have a spiral binding and isn’t ugly. I’m putting that out into the Universe and will report back on whether or not the so-called Law of Attraction applies to paper. On to this week’s pages (and… this week’s jams!).

So one of this week’s prompts called for writing a poem about wanderlust. The last time I wrote a poem, it was in memory of my parents’ deceased parrot. It was sort of a morbid joke, and it was really funny. (I am the sort of person who ruins being funny, though, by being all… I’m so funny, right? Right?!) Needless to say, my poetry skills are rusty, at best. And I can’t say I’ve been feeling especially wanderlusty (not a word, going to use it regardless) lately. So I wrote about that.

If I end up growing very serious, wearing a beret and performing this piece of crap at the world championship poetry slam… you can say you knew me when. Or whatever. The accompanying page was in response for the prompt that called for no scissors + at least 5 piece of paper. I started out by following the rules, and then carefully cut out a Taj Mahal and tucked it in between the rip-outs. I sort of love how it turned out.

I was sort of on a roll when it came to ripping pages out of magazines and quickly threw together this collage. The stamped words are lyrics from Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Teach Your Children.” I read somewhere that Graham Nash wrote the song after seeing a photo of a child holding a toy grenade, and thinking about how susceptible children are to messages about violence and war. And so as happy as this page feels, I wasn’t feeling especially happy when I made it. Earlier this month, a sixteen-year-old in Dorchester was shot and killed while riding his bike — a sixteen-year-old and a fourteen-year-old have been charged with his murder. These are children. Even if we disagree about the need for gun control, I hope we can at least agree that enough is enough. Our children deserve so much better.

When I think about what I want to teach Grace, I think about how I could be a better role model for her. I think a lot about how I hope she will view and treat other people. Above all, I want her to be compassionate. I want her to have a generous spirit. And I don’t want her to be afraid.

I tried to find a good photo of figures to trace for one of this week’s art prompts, but um… why are most magazine photos of people so awkward or provocative or weird? There was a spread on bathing suits in Marie Claire that should have been perfect… but the models all looked mad. And I got distracted by that. And then I ate a bowl of popcorn. After that, I quickly traced these eyes (from an article about adult acne products, of all things) and filled them in with some watercolors. I didn’t really have any place to stick ’em, so (I am sure you know where this is going), I laminated them and made a bookmark.

My last page was fast and simple (and not fueled by any underlying rage against America’s gun lobby). I’ve been making a running list of things I want to do this summer, places I want to visit, and projects I want to take on. This was a little (metallic) note to self. Just go.

This week’s jams

Oh, and because music is a key part of my creative process (alongside giant bowls of popcorn), I though you might like a peek at what I was listening to while making a mess:

[tweetmeme source=”elizabethev” only_single=false]Hey, I just met you. And this is crazy, but here are a few songs I’ve been obsessed with lately.

Like any other red-blooded American tween 30-year-old, Call Me Maybe has been stuck in my head since the first time I heard it. I’ve listened to it so many times, I am pretty sure the lyrics are etched on my soul. Will I ever tire of hearing it? …Maybe. When that will be, I do not know. I promise I am listening to other stuff, too.

Currently on heavy rotation:

Wondering what I listen to when I run? Click to 7:26 of the most recently released episode of The Team Off Balance Video Blog, produced by Jack atpixelwiremedia.com / rtbrelay.com.

I think Michael Jackson (may he rock in peace) would have appreciated my safety gear.

Thank you for sharing:

[tweetmeme source=”elizabethev” only_single=false]I haven’t missed a single day of running this year. Mostly because there’s only been a single day this year. I cranked up the music this morning (including my favorite warm-up jam, The Return to Innocence, straight from 1994), and headed for the waterfront.

Despite having slept in, the streets were still deserted, and I had the Harborwalk all to myself. Which meant a lot of singing along to the Allman Brothers, at the top of my lungs. I was thinking how 2011 will be hard to top, running-wise, but I am looking forward to taking on new challenges, including a relay with some of my favorite people. My race plan, so far:

No marathon this year, no traveling for races. I am planning to keep things simple in 2012. Please remind me of this intention when I inevitably go off the reservation and end up registering for who knows what. 🙂